Chapter 13: Watch Out, I Might Toss You Behind the Mountain to Guard the Grave

Bai Peiyu still wore his beloved white shirt, hands in his pockets, with an effortlessly cool expression.

He looked spirited and lively—nothing like the exhausted, gasping figure who nearly met the Grim Reaper last night.

Qiu Yao’s mind went blank the moment she saw him, as if something inside her had shattered with a sharp crack.

Despite the undeniable truth before her eyes, she refused to give up, rushing over to Bai Peiyu and reaching out to lift his white shirt.

Seeing through her intention, Bai Peiyu frowned in displeasure, grabbing her arm and questioning, “You’re a young lady—why do you always want to take off a man’s clothes? Do you even plan to get married someday?”

“Whether I marry or not is none of your business. Are you going to take it off or not?”

Realizing her strength was no match for his, Qiu Yao resorted to threats, “If you don’t take it off, I’ll grab a megaphone and shout outside that Bai Peiyu lives in our house and gropes me every day with ill intentions.”

Bai Peiyu looked helpless, gazing at her innocent face and realizing for the first time that a woman’s stubbornness could be so exasperating.

Meanwhile, Qiu Shengming hurried over, trying to pull them apart. “Alright, alright, don’t make a scene. The front door’s still open—what if someone sees this?”

At his words, Bai Peiyu released her arm, smoothing the rumpled corner of his shirt.

“Next time, don’t go yanking a man’s clothes like that in public. You might get beaten.”

“Hmph, mind your own business.”

“Good deeds are often unappreciated.”

Bai Peiyu didn’t want to argue anymore and turned to leave. Quick as a flash, Qiu Yao struck the wound on his lower back while he wasn’t paying attention.

Instead of the expected painful groan, Bai Peiyu only furrowed his brows in disgust. He reached out to grab Qiu Yao’s collar but caught himself and withdrew his hand, fuming, “Qiu Yao, if you keep pulling these tricks, I might just throw you to guard the grave on the back mountain tonight.”

“Hmph.”

Qiu Yao stuck out her tongue at him and sulked back inside.

Lying on the bed, scenes from last night flashed relentlessly through her mind.

“How could it have been a dream? How could it?”

Qiu Yao kept repeating the words.

Though she had strange dreams before at school, none had felt this real.

But if it wasn’t a dream, how to explain Bai Peiyu’s wound?

Such a deep cut, the clear bloodstains on the floor, the choking metallic scent—the only beings capable of healing such a wound overnight without a trace would be gods.

Or could it be, as Bai Peiyu said, that she was suffering from delusions? That the blood in the basin and the wound on her back were all figments of her imagination?

“Sigh, what kind of mess is this?”

Qiu Yao closed her eyes and pounded her head hard. “At this rate, I’ll end up with a nervous breakdown.”

At the door, Qiu Shengming gently knocked. “Yao Yao, hurry up and change. Dinner’s ready—I made your favorite meat buns.”

“I’m not eating.”

Qiu Yao was deeply irritated. Pulling a small blanket over her face, she refused to answer.

But Qiu Shengming was persistent, knocking again, “Come on, dear daughter, the buns will get cold soon.”

Still silent, Qiu Yao heard him sigh, “If your mother were here, she’d be happily eating the buns I made…”

Hearing her mother’s name tugged painfully at Qiu Yao’s heart. She pulled back the blanket and replied in a muffled voice, “Stop using Mom to upset me. You eat first; I’ll be there soon.”

She got up, changed into a loose T-shirt and jeans from her suitcase.

Qiu Shengming had already served porridge, and a large bowl of buns sat at the center of the table.

Bai Peiyu sat quietly, head bowed as he drank his porridge.

Qiu Yao sat opposite him and bit into a meat bun, the taste strangely unfamiliar.

She glanced at Qiu Shengming, whose face was still dusted with flour.

A pang of sadness rose in her chest. Since their mother passed away, he hadn’t made buns because she loved pastries most, and he feared the memories would be too painful.

Her eyes reddened. Seeing Qiu Shengming watching her, she forced down the sorrow and feigned nonchalance. “Go wash your face. With all that flour on your hair and face, someone might think you’re an old man in his seventies or eighties.”

Qiu Shengming paused mid-reach for a bun and chuckled awkwardly. “What, afraid people will think I’m your grandpa if we go out?”

“Hmph, keep dreaming.”

Qiu Yao lowered her head to drink her porridge, blinking hard to hide the sadness in her eyes.

Bai Peiyu observed the two silently. Seeing no conversation, he put down his chopsticks and stood. “Uncle Qiu, I’m going out for a walk.”

“All right, call me if you need anything.”

Bai Peiyu nodded and left.

Qiu Yao sat heavily on the sofa, her mind weighed down. The TV played her favorite idol drama, but she had no heart to watch.

After washing the dishes and tidying up, Qiu Shengming came out of the kitchen and silently sat beside her. “Kiddo, do you have something on your mind?”

Qiu Yao wanted to shake her head but hesitated when she met his eyes.

“Dad, do you think I’m sick?”

“Pah, no such thing. Our Yao Yao has always been healthy since she was little. Don’t say things like that.”

But Qiu Yao couldn’t figure it out. “But Dad, ever since I came back, I keep seeing strange things. Could it be like that Bai guy said—that I have delusions?”

“No, nonsense. You’re fine now. Stop overthinking.”

Seeing Qiu Shengming stubbornly dismiss her words, Qiu Yao grew anxious and stood up. “Dad, whether you believe it or not, I think there’s something wrong with my mind. I’m going to the hospital right now. The longer I wait, the worse it gets.”

She hadn’t even taken a step when Qiu Shengming grabbed her. “Yao Yao, you can’t go to the hospital.”

“Why not?”

“Because…”

Qiu Shengming hesitated, making Qiu Yao suspect he was hiding something.

“Dad, are you keeping something from me? Do I really have an illness? Are you afraid to tell me because you don’t want me to be upset?”

“No, you’re not sick… it’s just…”

He opened his mouth but couldn’t find the words, torn inside.

“If you won’t tell me, then I’m going to the hospital now.”

She pretended to leave, and Qiu Shengming finally blurted, “Fine, I’ll tell you.”

…

When Qiu Shengming laid the medical records before Qiu Yao, she eagerly opened them but found the handwriting indecipherable, like scribbles.

Disappointed, she looked at him. “Dad, what does all this say?”

Qiu Shengming sighed. “The day you came back, you witnessed the devastation from the landslide and were deeply shaken. When you first woke up in the hospital, you screamed, insisting you saw unclean things. The doctors had to sedate you before you fell asleep again…”

“Wait,” Qiu Yao grew more confused, “I first woke up in the hospital… what does that mean?”